Kingdom of Celestis
) |nation_name = Kingdom of Celestis |common_name = Celestis |id = 463256 |image_flag = Celestis.svg |image_symbol = CelestisCrest.gif |symbol_type = Coat of Arms |national_motto = "Pro Rex Quod Patria" ( : "For King and Fatherland") |national_anthem =I Vow to Thee, My Country |image_map = United Provinces Map.svg |map_caption = Map of Celestis in relation to the rest of Europe, also shown is the Prussian Empire, a fellow member nation of Colossus |capital = Celestinium |official_languages = , |regional_languages = Welsh, Gealic, Scots, Cornish, Flemish |demonym = Celestinian |government_type = |ruler = King George I |rulertitle = King of Celestis |formation_date = 8 June 2011 |formation_event = Re-organisation of the United Provinces of Clinkham Wood |disestablished_date = |disestablished_event = |national_religion = Christianity |national_animal = Lion |area = 524.208 sq. mi. |population = 88,579,715 |ethnicity = British, Dutch |allies = Colossus |currency = Shilling (s) (CWS) |literacy = 97% |cctld = .cw |time_zone = GMT +0 |footnotes = }} The Kingdom of Celestis ( : Koninkrijk van Celestis, commonly known as Celestis is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe, as well as holding territory on Mainland Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, Ireland, and many small islands. The Low Countries are the only part of Celestis with a land border, sharing it with the Prussian Empire to the east and the Empire of the French to the South. Apart from this land border, the United Provinces is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea, the English Channel, the Irish Sea. Celestis is an absolute monarchy consisting of six countries: England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, the Netherlands, Belgium. It is governed by the King and his Privy Council with its seat of government in Celestinium, the capital. The Channel Island bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey and the Isle of Man are also parts of Celestis. It is a member state of the Colossus having joined the former on the 8 June 2011 and a former member state of the Confederation of Organized Nations, The British Empire, The German Empire and Republic of Aquisgrana. History The Kingdom of Celestis was formally known as the United Provinces of Clinkham Wood and so the main history of the nation is taken up by its predecessor state. Independence The areas that now form the United Provinces were, at one time, a part of the Kingdom of Celestis. They seceded from the Kingdom because of ongoing disputes over taxation and the Kingdoms continued involvement in a cold war with N907 World. The issues came to a head when the Cold War was at its height. The people of the northern territories had become tired of being taxed to provide money for the Kingdom's ongoing arms race, and so on the 23rd May 2008, the northern territories of Great Britain, Ireland and the Low Countries declared their independence and founded the United Provinces of Clinkham Wood. The Kingdom, at the time was going through a period of national turmoil, with the installment of a new government taking place, the monarch of Celestis, King Stuart, was quick to recognise the legitimacy of the new state, however the new government was extrmely hostile to the United Province, claiming that seccesion was illegal. The Celestinian government was quick to put there armed forces on high alert with the intention of re-conquering the territories that had secceded. The United Provinces people had to prepare themeselves for a fight, calling up an army to defend their new homeland. War of Independence Relations between the United Provinces and Celestis came to head when a battalion of the Celestinian Royal Guard entered the territory of the United Provinces illegaly, within minutes the United Provinces Army had sent and armoured column and 2 infantry brigades to intercept the invaders and repel them. The skirmish was short but bloody, with the Celestinian Royal Guard retreating back over the border. The Kingdom of Celestis used the skirmish as a causus belli inorder to ingage in armed conflict with the United Provinces, and so the war began on the 17th June 2008. The war began badly for the United Provinces as it was beaten off on all fronts, with the defeat of the United Provinces Army at the Battle of Middlesbrough. However, in the fifth month of the conflict, the tide turned against Celestis as the United Provinces began to push the Celestinian Armed Forces back towards the border, with the war finally coming to an end in December 2008 with the decisive Battle of Brighton and the Treaty of Jersey. Entry into the Confederation On the 1st June 2008, the United Provinces applied for membership within the Confederation of Organized Nations. The United Provinces was soon accepted into the alliance, however after a brief period in the CON, the United Provinces left the alliance after as it could not play an active role within the alliance. The British Empire and its collapse Soon after the United Provinces left the CON, the United Provinces applied for membership in The British Empire, of which the Kingdom of Celestis and N9071 World were members. Soon after joining relations with the Kingdom of Celestis drastically improved to the point where both nations were sharing each others military bases. However the Kingdom went through some internal problems which reverberated through the British Empire, resulting in it's collapse in March 2009. Only a handful of nations survived the collapse. The German Empire The United Provinces was quickly taken in by the German Empire, of which the British Empire had a protectorate treaty with. The United Provinces soon began to prosper within the German Empire, and soon reached a new height, when on the 25th June 2009, the United Provinces' head of state, Stadtholder Gavin Jones, became Minister of Foreign Affairs of the German Empire. The Slovenian Incident On the 28th November 2009 one of the United Provinces main allies, the Prussian Empire, sent word that their borders had been infiltrated by agents from the Republic of Slovenia, and that in responce they had declared war on Slovenia. The United Provinces was in full support of the war and not long after became directly involved when Slovenia's main ally, Hungary, entered the war on the 30th November 2009. The United Provinces Parliament voted unanimously in favour of direct entry in the conflict and the immidiate shunting of supplies to the Prussians. The conflict is ended in early 2010 with a Prussian/Provincer victory ofver Hungary and Slovenia. Entry into Colossus Politics The government of the Kingdom of Celestis is firmly that of an absolute monarchy. King George I heads the Celestan Royal Household which stretches back to the time of Wessex. The powers of the King are broadly that which was granted by the original Kings of Wessex. Tradition and precedent form the basis of the Celestan constitution, which is unwritten, but a belief in liberty and freedom is strongly engrained within that. Parliament is an ancient institution within the system of Celestan government and has grown organically to become of crucial importance. The executive governance of the Kingdom of Celestis is handled by the King and the Privy Council of Celestis is the main legislative body of the Kingdom, creating and passing most of the legislation within the nation. Its members are appointed by the King, who heads the Council. The Kingdom is divided into shires, reflecting the old Anglo-Saxon method of dividing the nation, while modern reforms have divided shires further into hides of around 60 000 people. Each hide is run by its own local authority, the shire divisions, however, remain in place for administrative purposes. Healthcare Healthcare in Celestis is mainly provided by the National Health Service. It was set up by the National Health Service Act 2011 that came into effect on 5 July 2011 and it provide public healthcare to all Celestis' permanent residents that is free at the point of need and paid for from general taxation. A much smaller private medical system also exists. Various regulatory bodies are organized on a Celestis-wide basis such as the General Medical Council, the Nursing and Midwifery Council and non-governmental-based (e.g. State Colleges). Across Celestis, there is a large number of medical schools and dental schools, and a considerable establishment for training nurses and professions allied to medicine. The Department of Health exists to improve the health and wellbeing of people in the Celestis and the Minister for Health is answerable to the Health Committee of the Privy Council for the it's work and for the work of the NHS. The NHS is one of the largest cohesive organisations of any type in the world employing over 1.3 million people. Public sector healthcare delivery consists of primary (general practice), secondary (district general hospital) and tertiary (teaching hospital) levels of service. There is considerable interaction and cross-flow between the various levels. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, or NICE, advises on whether drugs or treatments should be provided by the NHS in Celestis. Military | There has been an assessment made that there is the possibility of an attack, but no defined target. Possibility of civil unrest. |} The Royal Celestinian Army, Celestinian Navy, and Celestinian Air Force are collectively known as the Kingdom of Celestis Defence Force (or His Majesty's Armed Forces) and officially the Armed Forces of the Crown. The commander-in-chief is King George I and they are managed by the Ministry of Defence. The armed forces are controlled by the Defence Committee of the Privy Council, chaired by the Chief of the Defence Staff. Celestis fields one of the most technologically advanced and best trained armed forces in the world. According to various sources, including the Ministry of Defence, the United Provinces has the second highest military expenditure in Colossus, despite only having the 27th largest military in terms of manpower. Total defence spending currently accounts for 2.2% of total national GDP, compared to 4.4% at the end of the Karma War. It is the second largest spender on military science, engineering and technology. The Kingdom of Celestis Defence Forces are equipped with advanced weapons systems, including the Challenger 2 tank and the Eurofighter Typhoon jet fighter. The Ministry of Defence signed contracts worth £3.2bn to build two new supercarrier sized aircraft carriers on 3 July 2008. The Kingdom of Celestis Defence Forces are charged with protecting Celestis and its overseas territories, promoting Celestis' global security interests, and supporting international peacekeeping efforts. They were active and regular participants in the Colossus Armed Forces and other worldwide coalition operations.